They recovered everything from simple paper matches to a "layover" that consisted of matches balanced on a single cigarette to more elaborate devices made up of wooden matches grouped around a cigarette and secured with duct tape or a rubber band.

So for my first international assignment ever--a trip to India for a Forbes Asia cover story--I instinctively booked the cheapest hotel I could find, as well as the cheapest flight--a 30-hour transatlantic voyage with a 12-hour layover in London, and on two different airlines.